Frequently asked questions

The most suitable contract for your household depends on how much electricity you use, when you use it, and how precisely you want to predict your bill.

There are three pricing models: fixed-price contract, variable-price contract (e.g. spot-priced contract) and hybrid contract. You can find descriptions of each contract type here.

In a hybrid contract, the price of electricity is made up of three components: a fixed basic charge, a fixed kilowatt-hour price, and a consumption impact. The consumption impact is calculated monthly according to how your own electricity use is distributed across the hourly exchange prices, so its effect on your bill cannot be known precisely in advance.

A hybrid contract suits households that can shift their use to cheaper exchange hours but still want protection against the highest market price spikes.

We recommend comparing electricity-sales offers in the service sahkonhinta.fi, maintained by the Energy Authority. The site lists every contract offer currently available in your area. To run a price comparison you will need:

• Estimated annual electricity consumption. You can find this on your electricity bill, in your provider's online service, or in Datahub.
• Postal code.

The service displays offers in order of price based on the search criteria you choose. On the results page you can filter offers by, for example, production method and metering type (general, season, time).

You can also find offers in other comparison services and directly on electricity providers’ websites.

Sahkonhinta.fi

Fixed-term contract: the electricity provider may change the price during the contract period only due to changes in legislation or decisions by an authority.

Open-ended contract: the electricity provider may change the price. The price change must be notified one month before it takes effect.
 

For an open-ended electricity contract, the consumer’s notice period is two weeks.

A fixed-term contract ends when its fixed period expires. If a fixed-term electricity contract has been concluded for a period longer than two years, the consumer may, after two years, terminate the contract with a two-week notice period.

The Electricity Market Act stipulates the minimum conditions for termination.

You can monitor your electricity-consumption data in Fingrid’s national Datahub service, in your electricity provider’s online service, or on your electricity bill.

Datahub

To check the network operator responsible for electricity distribution in your area, see the map of the network operators’ areas maintained by the Energy Authority. Click on the map to see the name of the network operator responsible for an area and the name of the area it is responsible for. To use the map location search, enter the address, name or property identifier of your location.  

Map of network operators’ areas of responsibility (in Finnish) 

Electricity transmission is a natural monopoly. This means that building competing electricity networks is not economically viable. The reliability of electricity networks is also highly important for society. This is why distribution networks are legal monopolies. The customer can only put out to tender the construction of their power connection line.   

You can shop around for a cheaper charge for electrical energy in you bill. To compare prices, go to sahkonhinta.fi.  

The Energy Authority supervises operators to ensure that the transfer pricing of each network operator is reasonable. The control is retrospective, meaning that the Energy Authority monitors network operators’ pricing as a whole over a four-year control period. A company that has overpriced its electricity transmission service will have to refund the surplus to customers over the next four years through the pricing of the electricity distribution charges. The refund can also take the form of increased investments in the electricity network.  

This means that over the long term, network operators cannot charge more for electricity transmission than what is permitted by law. The Energy Authority’s control covers all companies and customer groups.